AALAS Introduction to Rabbits

- Provide the necessary supportive care to the animals during a procedure - Perform the animal procedures humanely - Provide the necessary supportive care to the animals following a procedure

An investigator's responsibilities towards the use of laboratory animals include assuring that staff are properly trained to:

- Experimentation on the animals is generally delayed until the end of quarantine - The animals should be housed in a quarantine area and may undergo diagnostic testing

Check all that apply. Which statements are true regarding rabbits that have newly arrived at a facility?

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

It is required that all research protocols be approved by the _____________. They will have policies and procedures on the use of animals that reflect federal and other government mandates and professional standards in the laboratory animal field.

The names of the databases used, the date of the search, the years of citations accessed, and the search strategy

The information that should be provided with the results of a database search for alternatives includes which of the following?

The United States Department of Agriculture and the Public Health Service

The two main agencies that oversee the enforcement of federal regulations are ______________ and ________________.

Public Health Service (PHS)/Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)

This organization assured institutions must also comply with the Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. As part of this requirement, OLAW requires institutions to adhere to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, which is written to "assist investigators in fulfilling their obligation to plan and conduct animal experiments in accord with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles" and the 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

This organization enforces the Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations for all covered species, including rabbits. These requirements include standards for husbandry, caging, environmental enrichment, and the use of restraint devices. In addition, all personnel involved in animal care, treatment, and use must have appropriate training.

The selection of an appropriate euthanasia method should address considerations of humaneness to the animal, and safety and esthetics for the staff

Which concept is relevant to the proper conduct of euthanasia?

Risks for zoonotic diseases when working with healthy, specific pathogen free rabbits

Which occupational health and safety concern is NOT relevant to performing research on rabbits?

- Risks for scratch injuries when handling rabbits - Risks for developing an allergy to rabbits and for developing asthma - Participation in the institution's occupational health and safety program

Which occupational health and safety concerns are relevant to performing research on rabbits?

A search for procedures that may replace the use of animals, reduce the number of animals used, or refine the methodology to minimize animal pain or distress

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the federally mandated "alternatives search" in an animal protocol?

AAALAC, USDA, NIH, and OLAW.

Which of the following oversees research using rabbits?

The USDA deems the use of FCA in immunizations to be a painful procedure.

Which statement is TRUE regarding Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA)?

A rabbit with a moderately painful condition may appear and behave normally or have subtle changes in activity level.

Which statement is TRUE regarding the assessment of pain or distress in rabbits?

Applicable federal mandates require the use of aseptic technique in rabbits for survival surgical procedures

Which statement is TRUE regarding the conduct of surgery in rabbits?